17

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Word Count: 1843

~Kiva

Being back home feels good.

But my feelings of doubt about Caspian have chased me all the way back here.

You're a Princess. Don't forget your duty.

I grit my teeth as my fathers voice echo's through my mind, collapsing onto my stomach, unable to hold my weight up any longer.

Ark crouches down beside me, flicking my forehead.

"You're not focusing."

"It's hard to with your grating voice in the background," I snap, pressing my check against the floor as if I can feel the frozen ground beneath.

"I hardly speak during training." I can hear the frown in his voice.

Heaving myself up into standing position, I collect my throwing knives, flipping one over in my hand.

"I'm just feeling light headed, okay?" I mutter. And I'm tired, and not climaxing daily really is starting to bother me, although Ark doesn't need to know that detail.

"Drink water."

"I have been," I grumble. I drink water, I eat food. It's Caspian that has muddled my head, and most importantly, it's the weight of my obligations.

I feel like I'm moments from imploding in on myself.

Ark steps closer, grabbing my gloved hands. He scoops the knives into his, pulling them away from me.

"You're frustrated. Talk to me," he prompts gently.

I look at him, noting the concern, how genuine it is.

It's these brief moments that deceive me into believing Ark is redeemable, that he isn't just some hired killer who values my life as much as he is getting paid that week.

"Don't pretend like you care," I mutter.

His brows furrow. "Whose to say I don't?"

"You have a job to do. That's the only reason why you're here." I don't know why that hurts. He can't be blamed for that, and yet for some reason, it still bothers me.

He goes silent.

"Why else would I be here?"

I release a long breath. Why does hearing him say that hurt? Of course his reasons for being here aren't to be kind to me, or to care for my emotions. He's here to physically train me.

I turn away. "Never mind."

He grabs my arm, turning me back around.

"I take this job very seriously, Kiva," he murmurs lowly, the intensity in his eyes taking me aback. "It's why I haven't..."

He breaks off, letting go of me before his gaze sweeps away.

"Haven't what?" I press.

He swallows uncomfortably. Does he mean what I think he means?

Images flash through my mind. Images of Ark coming into my room late at night, pulling the covers off my body, and then my clothes.

And he would fuck me. Like he promised.
Blinking, I shake my head a little. All this tension between us is starting to get to me.

"You're getting stronger. Both mentally and physically," he says, instead of answering properly. He's not interested in sating my curiosity yet.

"I don't feel mentally strong," I admit, clasping either side of my head. "And what will all this be for if I am to marry Caspian soon?"

There is a chance that this problem will reach to Caspian's territory too, but we are relying on the fact that it won't. But I am a royal, and chances are, I'm still going to be a target no matter where I live.

Ark adjusts his gloves. "You should reconsider your choice in life partner."

"Why?" I ask warily.

"He speaks unkindly to his staff. And I'm not talking about me," he explains coldly. "I've heard he can be a harsh man when he is angry. I would hate for you..."

He breaks off. My eyes narrow.

"For me to what?"

His gaze sweeps down over me. "To fall victim to his false charms."

I fold my arms over my chest. I'm not surprised Ark doesn't like Caspian, when he doesn't even like my father. He hasn't divulged why yet, either.

It doesn't matter, anyway. It's not as if I'm going to fall in love with Caspian, or share all my time with him. We are both going to get the benefits we need from our marriage and whatever happens outside of that I can deal with.

Ark's warning does cause a spike of fear deep inside me though.

"I'm immune to them, trust me. This union will be about power, about uniting my frail Kingdom with his strong one," I tell him, getting down onto the floor to resume my stretching.

"That's no life to live," he murmurs lowly, watching me as I stretch my legs out.

"And you care?" I grumble.

He goes silent, stalking around me. I don't look up on him, concentrating on not wincing at the pull on my hamstrings.

"No. Live as you please. I'm just warning you."

I roll my eyes. "Noted."

When I finally look up, Ark is frowning, deep in thought. I sigh. I wish I knew what he was thinking at all times. His expressions are contrary to what he is saying, because it's clear he does care to some extent about what I do.

"Your face..." I deadpan.

He blinks. "What?"

"It's obvious you disagree with my decision, with my reasoning," I say sourly. If I let myself think about it too much, I would disagree with it too, but Ark doesn't know what it is like to be tied to obligations like this.

Especially ones that have been pushed on me since I was a young girl.

"Your father owns you like property to use at his disposal, to give off to another. I don't like that," he admits, rolling his shoulders irritably.

"It's tradition." I feel foolish even telling that.

"Then break it," he insists.

Groaning, I roll my ankles around, wishing I could just go back inside and crawl into bed. Nothing has felt the same between Ark and I since returning here. I can't stop replaying the other night in my head....

"It's not so simple. You don't get it," I mutter tiredly.

Ark paces back and forth. "Not to mention he's a virgin."

I frown, looking up at him.

"What did you say?"

"He couldn't please you, he has no experience," he exclaims flippantly. I scramble up to my feet, although I remain a healthy distance away from Ark.

Whenever he mentions sex, things start to get tense between each other. For the sake of training, and also my irritation, it feels safer to linger away and hope he doesn't get to close.

I rub the back of my neck uncomfortably. "He would learn."

Other than producing heirs, I will be happily avoiding Caspian's bed for the entirety of our marriage. If he has a problem with that, I don't care.

"How boring." He laughs breathily, as if my future sex life is a joke to him.

I grit my teeth, fingers balling up into fists. "Boring? Let me guess, because I've only sex with Louis, I'm boring."

I'm not even sure why I'm telling him this, he just inspires rage in me so easily.

He narrows his eyes. "You had sex with-"

"Come on. Tell me I'm boring..." I hiss.

My anger wraps around my heart. At least I've convinced myself it's anger, and not hurt, knowing that I'm a joke to him, and that I'll never have the opportunity to be with who I want to like he does.

Ark shakes his head, stepping toward me. "This is about him, not you...he should be teaching you things, making you feel good."

I quietly ignore the feeling nestling in my stomach.

"Ark. I don't care about what he's like in bed. This isn't a love match."

"I know you do," he accuses. I swallow, wondering how he can know so much about how I feel when I rarely speak to him about my wants and desires.

He takes another step at me. "Doesn't it bother you that he asked me for sex advice?"

"Your advice sucked anyways, so who cares," I snap.

It didn't. I've thought about what he has said every hour since he uttered it. Walking in here this morning I flushed, unable to make proper eye contact for the first few minutes.

The edge of his lips quirk up. "It sucked, did it?"

"Yeah," I say breathlessly. "I wouldn't have even liked what you insinuated."

He knows I'm lying. It's clear in the way he steps at me, smirking now. Despite his amusement, his eyes convey a primal desire that I would love to feed into, if my rational thoughts weren't battling me.

"Liar," he purrs.

I shake my head, trembling slightly from excitment. "Nah uh. You sound terrible in bed."

"I see right through you, Miss Kiva," he murmurs, standing so close now I can smell his intoxicating scent. It has me in a tighter grip on than his blatant seduction.

I fold my arms over my chest, as if it can protect me from his charms. "Believe whatever you like. Sex with you would be a total bore."

A bore? I've never felt such a thrill, except for when my mate had me pinned up against a tree...

My head is all over the place. How can I feel this way for Ark when I have a mate? The thought of being with him should repulse me.

"Is that why you went to touch yourself that night before interrupted?" He asks blatantly.

I scowl. "I was thinking of Caspian."

There is no point in deny what I was going to do. But the subject of my fantasies is none of his business.

He slowly shakes his head, leaning down to whisper in my ear. "You were thinking about what it would feel like for your fingers to have been mine, sliding between your legs, fucking-"

"How's training?" A voice calls out from across the gym.

Ark doesn't pull away. It's me who steps back, whirling around to face my father. He shakes snow from his hair, not seeming to have taken much notice of our proximity.

"It's going well, father," I say sweetly, knowing it most definitely hasn't today.

"Excellent. Seems as though Ark may not be needed soon enough."

Ark nods, looking down at me, not saying a word as he backs away. He rarely checks on us. He must be anxious about an encroaching attack.

The heat of Ark's gaze. "You know what it means once you're relieved of duty for you father?"

"What does it mean?"

He steps past me, rubbing my hands together. "That the rules regarding our relationship no longer apply..."

My breath catches in my throat. Is he suggesting what I believe he is?

"And what if I don't wish for anything to change?" I ask, trying to sound sure of myself, but even I can hear how breathless I am.

He only smiles as he turns away. "We'll see about that.

💙••💙

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! and as always it is available 10 chapters ahead on Radish!

THE DARKEST TEMPTATION— OUT NOW ON WATTPAD!!

~Midika 💜🐼


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